Trace A. DeMeyer's Blog, page 7
August 6, 2025
Returning items takes time, research, negotiation and deep trust
What a remarkable decision! Trace
Revere Auctions is the only known auction house with a formal process for returning spiritual and cultural belongings to Native nations.By Sofia Barnett
The Minnesota Star Tribune | August 3, 2025
Sean Blanchet, co-founder of Revere Auctions, looks through the warehouse in St. Paul. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Before every auction, Sean Blanchet sends a spreadsheet to Washington, D.C., where it lands in the inbox of the Association on American Indian Affairs.
There, researchers comb through the list of Native American items up for sale at his St. Paul auction house — tribal masks, feathered war bonnets, ceremonial objects — and flag anything with spiritual or tribal significance.
And when they do, Blanchet doesn’t haggle. He pulls it from the Revere Auctions catalog and sends it home.
“My number one goal is to move the object from where it is, to where it should be,” he said.
Blanchet’s approach is practically unheard of in an industry where tribes are often forced to buy back their own stolen history — or watch it disappear into private collections.
According to AAIA CEO Shannon O’Loughlin, Revere is the only auction house in the United States — and the world — with a formal process for reviewing and returning Native items.
“It is extremely surprising,” she said, “because he’s taking his good faith responsibility, as well as his ethical and moral responsibility, seriously.”
O’Loughlin’s organization has tracked more than 15,000 potentially sensitive Native items sold at auction in 2025 alone. That number exceeded 20,000 last year. Despite the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, she said, there is no real enforcement mechanism for items held in private hands — where most auctioned collections originate.
An ethics statement on Revere’s website acknowledges that many Native American items currently on the secondary market were stolen or unethically purchased. Blanchet sees the moral gap clearly.
“Some of these super sacred objects,” he said, “definitely should not be sold.”
Sean Blanchet, co-founder of Revere Auctions, stands next to a Native American war bonnet that the St. Paul company is helping to repatriate. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Rewriting the rules of returnRevere Auctions, which Blanchet co-founded in 2017 with business partner Robert Snell, deals in fine art and rare artifacts from around the world. But when it comes to Native items, Blanchet has drawn a hard line: If it doesn’t belong on the block, it doesn’t go on the block.
Since 2018, he and his team — including several young staffers with graduate degrees from the University of Minnesota — have developed a review process that works closely with AAIA and tribal governments. AAIA disseminates Blanchet’s spreadsheet to affiliated tribes across the country, and once a claim is made, Blanchet starts a return process.
Over the past few years, Revere has returned items to White Earth, the Oglala Sioux, the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Nation, among others.
Some of the items came from collectors who inherited them from relatives who worked in the U.S. Forest Service or Indian Health Service. Blanchet, whose own parents worked for the Indian Health Service in Red Lake and Tuba City, Ariz., said he understands how complex that legacy can be.
In some cases, owners agree to donate items outright. When they can’t — often because they were counting on the sale financially — Revere facilitates a purchase, sometimes through outside donors and sometimes through pooled funds.
A recent example involved an item called a Hopi friend, a ceremonial mask that Blanchet described as “a being, in and of itself.”
The seller couldn’t afford to part with it for free. So Blanchet secured two donors, made a contribution himself and paid the seller a modest price. Then he shipped the item back to the Hopi Nation.
Sean Blanchet, co-founder of Revere Auctions, shows Inuit items that wound up in his auction house. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
“We paid for the shipping and packing, and we sent it back,” Blanchet said. “We worked with the tribal preservation office of the nation.”
But not everyone sees open-market transactions as true repatriation. Jacob Syverson, the tribal historic preservation officer for the White Earth Nation, said the idea of having to buy back historically significant items — especially when sellers or auction houses profit — runs counter to the spirit of return.
“These are people that are making huge profits off historically significant relics,” he said. “Sometimes people will donate items to be placed on display at our headquarters, or we may work on repatriation of items, but we don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to an individual or auction houses who take cuts.”
In cases when neither donation nor pre-sale purchase is possible, Revere clearly marks the item in the auction catalog and gives tribes the right to purchase it within seven days after the sale at fair market value. That way, Native nations don’t have to bid against private collectors and drive up the price of items that were never meant to be sold in the first place.
That step matters, said O’Loughlin, because when tribes have to bid, “they’re forced to compete for something that was taken from them.” It also creates a perverse incentive for sellers to see sacred belongings as high-value collectibles.
“The tribes don’t want to get in the business of making these things more valuable,” Blanchet said. “Because they’re already pretty desirable.”
He added that total bans on market sales can also backfire — pushing items underground, where they’re harder to trace and recover.
“When things get totally banned from being transacted,” he said, “nobody knows where it is, and it’s really hard to track it down.”
A Native American war bonnet that Revere Auctions is helping to return. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Disputed belongings, difficult decisionsNot every return is simple. A war bonnet in Revere’s possession drew interest from 10 different tribes.
In past cases, Blanchet said, competing claims have been resolved easily — each party just wanted to ensure the item got home. But this one has proved harder.
In situations like this, O’Loughlin said, the association doesn’t intervene to determine ownership.
“We simply ask the nations to make a decision about how to bring an item home,” she said. “And that if they can’t decide, then it’s likely that the item may go away.”
Blanchet doesn’t want to be seen as the arbiter.
“I have an immortal fear of somebody feeling slighted by the process,” he said. “I am not an expert.”
The process of returning items takes time, research, negotiation and deep trust — all for items that won’t earn commission. But Blanchet said that’s not the point.
“There’s no big incentive other than that it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
The showroom of Revere Auctions in St. Paul. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Questions? EMAIL: tracelara@pm.me
LONG TIME COMING!
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has some 908 individual remains and 79,628 funerary objects in its collection, which are subject to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
“We never ceded or relinquished our dead. They were stolen,” James Riding In, a retired Arizona State University professor who is Pawnee, has said of the unreturned remains.
There are 574 federally recognized tribes and approximately 400 additional tribes that are not federally recognized.
READ MORE:
Questions? EMAIL: tracelara@pm.meArmy Conducts Eighth Year of Disinterment and Return of Native American Children at Carlisle Barracks
The individuals scheduled for disinterment include Wallace Perryman of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, along with Belle Cahoe, Wash E. He, Tabitha Carroll, Jane Lumpfoot, Leah Road Traveler, Percy Whitebear, George Harrison, Charles Whiteshield, Matavito Horse, Nannie Little Robe, Dora Morning, Louise Thunder, Giles Hands, Ruben Tanpeds, Henry Morning, William Sammers, Abe Lincoln, and Elsie Davis—all from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. Questions? EMAIL: tracelara@pm.me
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Questions? EMAIL: tracelara@pm.meAugust 4, 2025
Wisconsin OBC Access: “We’re just asking for the right to know who we are.”
Diana Higgenbottom is pictured during the filming of “Love Differently,” a short documentary film depicting her journey of adoption and finding her identity. – Credit: Emma Siewert MADISON, WI — If a bill making its way through the sponsorship process becomes law, adult Wisconsin adoptees for the first time will have access to their original birth certificates.
Advocates say the measure is a long-overdue correction to a system that keeps vital identity and medical information hidden from the very people it concerns.
Generate new maskGenerate new mask“We’re not asking for anything extraordinary,” said Diana Higgenbottom Anagnostopoulos. “We’re just asking for the right to know who we are.”
Renewed Push, Familiar ChampionsThe proposed legislation—currently known as LRB-3879/1—was introduced by State Rep. Paul Tittl and State Sen. André Jacque. According to Steve Hall, spokesperson for Tittl, this is not the first time Tittl has championed this cause.
“This was the first bill that he introduced back in 2014,” Hall said in an interview. “And he’s introduced it every session since.”
Hall noted that Tittl is not adopted himself but believes strongly in adoptees’ rights. “He just thinks that people ought to have that right,” he said.
The bill would give adult adoptees access to their original, unredacted birth certificates—something currently restricted under Wisconsin law. While most modern adoptions are open, Hall said that a small but significant number—about five percent—remain closed, which can leave adoptees in the dark about crucial health and identity information.
“We spoke with someone who was close to 50 years old,” he added. “She had been worried about health conditions she thought ran in the family, only to learn after her adoptive parents passed away that she’d been adopted. When she finally got her real family history, it turned out she was concerned about the wrong things all along.”
Groundwork from the GrassrootsBehind the renewed momentum is former Racine resident and adoptee Diana Higgenbottom Anagnostopoulos, who has worked with legislators and advocates across the country.
She traveled to Madison in late July to speak with lawmakers and staff, sharing clips from Love Differently, a documentary she produced that highlights the emotional and legal struggles adult adoptees face.
“Love Differently” is a film by Director Emma Siewert that depicts Diana Higgenbottom’s journey to discover her identity. The film premiered and took top honors at the Door County Film Festival in February. – Credit: Emma Siewert“When we were in Madison, we knocked on as many doors as we could,” she said. “It’s about educating lawmakers. Most people don’t even realize this is still an issue.”According to Anagnostopoulos, several lawmakers have shown early support. Rep. Angelito Tenorio and Sen. Rob Hutton—who now represent Anagnostopoulos’s district after redistricting—were among the first to notify her when the bill began circulating. She now lives in Wauwatosa.
“Tenorio emailed me first thing the morning it started to circulate,” Anagnostopoulos said. “He made a promise to help restore our civil rights.”
She also credited Rep. Robert Wittke’s office with keeping her updated.
“They’ve been stellar. They actually sent me the draft of the new bill introduction,” Anagnostopoulos explained.
Civil Rights and Medical RealitiesAnagnostopoulos sees the legislation as a civil rights issue, not a challenge to birthparents’ privacy.
“We’re not asking for our full adoption file,” she explained. “We just want our original birth certificate. There’s nothing in it that should be controversial—it’s just a record of who we are.”
She also pointed out that adoptees face practical barriers because of redacted records.
“With REAL ID requirements, some of us can’t even prove who we truly are with the documents we have,” she said.
While some critics argue that birthparents may have chosen closed adoptions for privacy reasons, Anagnostopoulos and others believe that does not outweigh an adoptee’s right to know.
“I didn’t sign up for this. I was a baby—I didn’t consent to having my identity sealed,” she said. “We’re not trying to show up for Thanksgiving. We just want to know who we are.”
A Long Legislative RoadDespite the growing support, Hall said it’s too soon to predict whether the bill will pass this session.
“There’s a lot of momentum, yes—but as we’ve seen with other bills, anything can happen,” he said, pointing to Tittl’s previous efforts that stalled despite early enthusiasm.
The co-sponsorship period for the bill closes July 31. After that, the Speaker of the Assembly Robin Vos has 10 working days to assign a bill number and refer it to a committee.
“We’ll know more in the next couple weeks,” Hall said. “But there’s no question: the groundswell of support is bigger than it’s ever been.”
A Story Told on ScreenThe issue gained visibility with the release of Love Differently, a documentary that features Anagnostopoulos’s own story and others across the country. The film was screened earlier this year in Sturtevant and won an award at the 2024 Door County Film Festival.
Racine County Eye previously outlined how the documentary showcases both the emotional and legal dimensions of adoptee experiences.
One scene features a New York state senator changing his position during live testimony. Anagnostopoulos shared that clip with lawmakers in Madison to show what can happen when people truly listen.
“This feels different,” she said of the current bill. “It feels like we’re closer than we’ve ever been.”
Broader Momentum Across the U.S.According to a report from Adoptees United, Wisconsin’s efforts mirror a broader national movement. States like Oregon, New York, and Illinois have passed laws restoring unrestricted access to original birth certificates.
Wisconsin has introduced several similar bills in past sessions, including SB 483/AB 502 in 2021, but none have passed.
“Change is coming,” Anagnostopoulos said. “Whether it’s this year or not—I believe we’ll get there.”
STORY: https://racinecountyeye.com/2025/07/31/bill-adoptees-birth-certificates/
Questions? EMAIL: tracelara@pm.meTracking Wildfires in CANADA
AUGUST 4, 2025
Read: https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/wildfires-tracker-canada
The smoke has reached us here in western MA. Air Quality Alerts are posted HIGH until midnite tonite... Trace
Questions? EMAIL: tracelara@pm.meUPDATE: How to get paid!
Social Security will stop sending paper checks soon (Sept. 30). How to make sure you still get your benefits on time.👇
In 2023, 4.2% of all U.S. households, or about 5.6 million households, were unbanked or lacked bank accounts, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The reasons cited for not having a bank account included a lack of trust in banks, not having enough money to meet account minimums, account fees and concerns about privacy, according to the FDIC.
Those who lack bank accounts were more likely to be lower-income households; less educated households; Black, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaska Native households; working-age households with a disability; and single-parent households, the FDIC said.
How to make the switchThe Social Security Administration has requested that beneficiaries create or update their online accounts to provide direct-deposit information; call the agency at 800-772-1213; or make an appointment at a local field office.
Even those with bank accounts may struggle with electronic payments. Only 19.3% of households age 65 or older used mobile banking as their primary source of banking, according to the FDIC.
"This will be difficult for those who don't have internet access," Johnson said. "It may lead to delays. I suspect a few Social Security recipients could potentially lose access to their benefits altogether, at least temporarily, unless they take the right steps quickly.
"Even simple banking can become a challenge when there may be memory and cognitive issues," Johnson added. "I don't believe the perfect option really exists on this - especially for seniors with intellectual challenges who are home alone. Online banking can be an obstacle for the cognitively disabled and blind, [and] those who can't afford a smartphone or the internet fees."
Beneficiaries without a bank account can get a prepaid debit card for their Social Security benefit payments. With the Direct Express card program, the federal benefit payment directly deposits onto a debit card that can be used to make purchases, pay bills or get cash.
In extremely rare circumstances, the Treasury Department may grant exceptions to the electronic-payment mandate, according to the Social Security Administration. To request a waiver, call the Treasury Department at 855-290-1545.
Questions? EMAIL: tracelara@pm.meSmudging, gardening and art: Summer Camp
GREAT JOB Siena!!!
During the school year, Braun teaches Native cultural arts and Ojibwe language at Anishinabe Academy. For her, teaching the summer program is deeply personal.
Siena Braun guides her summer students through an activity to make faceless dolls in commemoration of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan JournalPrior to 1978, when Congress passed the Indian Child Welfare Act, three in 10 Native American children were taken from their families. One of those children was Siena Braun. She was placed in foster care and adopted. Her birth mother tracked her down when she was 27.
“They called me one of the stolen kids,” she said. “I got taken at birth.”
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